kebab

IPA/kɪˈbæb/
KK[kəbˈɑb]IPA/kɪˈbɑːb/

kebab — noun

  • kebabsingular
  • kebabsplural

1. small cuts of lamb, chicken, or beef that are placed onto a thin metal or wooden

1.nounB1
Definition

small cuts of lamb, chicken, or beef that are placed onto a thin metal or wooden stick along with onion, pepper, or other vegetables and then grilled over fire or on a hot plate.

Example

At the street festival, Anong bought lamb kebabs grilled over hot charcoal.

collocation: lamb kebab / chicken kebab / beef kebab

These long metal skewers are perfect for making lamb kebabs over fire.

Common collocations
  • lamb kebab
  • chicken kebab
  • beef kebab
  • vegetable kebab
  • grilled kebab
  • kebab skewer
  • thread onto a skewer
  • marinate the meat for kebabs
Synonyms
  • shish kebab

    the full name for this style; 'kebab' is the shortened form used in everyday speech

  • skewer

    can refer to the metal or wooden stick itself, but is also used informally to mean the whole dish

  • satay

    a Southeast Asian version using smaller pieces and often a peanut sauce; distinct in preparation and flavour

Grammar Patterns

a chicken/lamb/beef kebab

kebab + noun (kebab skewer, kebab shop)

Usage Note

Used as an attribute before another noun (e.g. kebab skewer, kebab shop) to refer to equipment or places connected with this dish. Frequently paired with the specific type of meat used.

Common Mistakes

Shashlik is the same as kebab.
Shashlik is a similar dish from the Caucasus, while kebab covers a broader range of grilled meat on skewers.
shashlik and kebab are not identical; regional styles use different marinades and vegetables.
I ate one kebab with salad.
I ate one kebab skewer with salad.' or 'I ordered a lamb kebab.
for shish kebab, specifying 'skewer' avoids confusion with the doner type.

2. spiced meat stacked in a tall cone on a turning rod; the outer layer is cooked s

2.nounB1
Definition

spiced meat stacked in a tall cone on a turning rod; the outer layer is cooked slowly, then sliced and served in flatbread with salad and sauce.

Example

After the concert, Kenji bought a lamb kebab from a stall that stayed open late.

collocation: lamb kebab / chicken kebab

The kebab meat is sliced from the rotating stack and served right away.

passive: meat is sliced from ...

Common collocations
  • döner kebab
  • doner kebab
  • chicken kebab
  • lamb kebab
  • kebab shop
  • kebab stall
  • kebab wrap
  • kebab with salad
  • kebab with chilli sauce
  • late-night kebab
Synonyms
  • doner kebab

    the formal name; 'kebab' is the everyday shortening

  • shawarma

    a similar Levantine dish with different seasoning and bread; not identical

  • gyros

    the Greek version, usually made with pork or chicken and different spices

Grammar Patterns

a chicken/lamb kebab

döner kebab

kebab + noun (kebab shop, kebab wrap)

Usage Note

This sense is much more common in British English than American English, where 'kebab' more often refers to the skewer dish (sense 1). 'Doner kebab' (or 'döner kebab') is the full name, but in everyday British usage 'kebab' alone usually means this type.

Common Mistakes

I ordered a doner kebab from the Greek restaurant.
I ordered a gyros from the Greek restaurant.
'döner kebab' is Turkish; the Greek version is called 'gyros' (pronounced YEE-ros).
We ate kebabs on sticks at the party.
We ate shish kebabs on sticks at the party.
using 'kebab' alone for the skewer dish can cause ambiguity in British English, where 'kebab' defaults to the doner type.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words refer to meat cooked on a stick, but they differ in origin and preparation. 'Kebab' is the broadest term, covering both skewer-grilled meat and the doner variety; in most contexts outside Britain, it defaults to the skewer dish. 'Skewer' primarily names the metal or wooden stick itself, but in informal use it can mean the whole portion of meat threaded on it. 'Satay' refers specifically to Southeast Asian versions — smaller, often skewered on bamboo sticks, and always served with a peanut-based dipping sauce. 'Shashlik' comes from the Caucasus and Central Asia; the meat is typically cut into larger chunks, marinated in vinegar or wine, and grilled over a wood fire without vegetables between the pieces. If you want the classic Turkish or Middle Eastern version, say 'kebab' or 'shish kebab'; for a spicy Indonesian starter, say 'satay'; for a rustic Eastern European barbecue, say 'shashlik'.

kebab ↗skewer ↗satay ↗shashlik

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • kebab and chips
  • late-night kebab
  • takeaway kebab

Prepositions

  • on (a skewer)
  • with (salad / sauce)
  • from (a shop / stall)
  • in (bread / foil / a wrap)

Etymology

PersianTurkishEnglish

The word 'kebab' entered English from Turkish 'kebap' (or 'kebap'), which originally meant 'roasted meat'. Turkish itself borrowed the word from Persian 'kabāb' (کباب), also meaning 'roasted meat' or 'fry'. The dish travelled through the Ottoman Empire into Europe, and by the 17th century 'kebob' (with a doubled 'b') had appeared in English travel writing. The two main senses — skewer-grilled and vertically roasted — developed from different regional Turkish cooking traditions: 'şiş kebap' (sword kebab) for the skewer version, and 'döner kebap' (turning kebab) for the rotating stack.